William hodgson



w. Honesom.

REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1918 1,3D5,5U3. Patented June 3, 1919.

WITNESSES V INVENTOR: M madam/fin? Jon MSW/Mm ,3 M fl flg WILLIAM HODGSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919;

Application filed December 9, 1918. Serial No. 265,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Hooeson, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Bronx, county of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to diaphragmatic pressure regulators in which the diaphragm directly supports the motion transmitting plunger which actuates valve or damper-sop,- erating mechanism, as for instance in Letters Patent No. 1,064,713, of June 17, 1913, and No. 1,108,146, of August 25, 1914.

For the purpose of attaining a maximum of strength and flexibility and rendering these diaphragms sensitive and readily responsive to fluctuations in pressure, they are made of relatively thin elastic resilient material, preferably copper, and are also preferably corrugated for reinforcement. For these reasons the diaphragms are somewhat fragile, so much so that the contactual edge of the transmitting plunger resting thereon has a tendency to wear and break or crack the diaphragm under exceptional strain or uneven alinement, and especially under back pressure unduly exerted by improper manipulation of the regulator lever, rendering the regulator inoperative for practical purposes. Furthermore this fact materially limits the pressure capacity of the regulator, since the limit of strength is at or adjacent to the central annular line of contact of the edge of the transmitting plunger with the diaphragm which area has to sustain the maximum of wear and strain. In other words the strength and pressure capacity of the diaphragm has been that of this restricted area of contactual engagement with the transmitting plunger. 7

My invention is designed to effectually obviate this difliculty by practical means, and to lengthen the life of the diaphragm while augmenting its pressure capacity, utllity and eliiciency, and this I accomplish by interposing between the diaphragm and the transmitting plunger an elastic resilient auxlliary plate or compensating shield of peculiar construction which receives and distributes the contactual strain of the transmitting plunger over practically the whole diaphragm so as to render such strain innocuous, while at the same time increasing the pressure capacityof the diaphragm and regulator, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

I am aware that slitted shields of this character have been used heretofore, but the slits in such cases have extended from a perlpheral margin inward convergently toward the center, as in Letters Patent No. 1,288,389, dated December 17, 1918.

Shields thus formed with a marginal base for the inwardly protuberant tongues between the slits are operative and effective in use, but are difiicult and expensive to make because it is not practicable to manufacture them expeditiously by means of dies. Furthermore, the free ends of the tongues protrude over the central portion of the diaphragm,the portion of greater deflection,so that the wear of said' free ends against the diaphragm is of maximum degree.

I obviate these objections by my invention which consists essentially in forming the shield with a plurality of slits extending from a central basic area outward radially to and through theperipheral' edge of the plate, as herein described and claimed specifically. By this means the free ends of the tongues formed by the slits bear against the marginal or peripheral portions of the diaphragm,

the portions thereof subject to least deflection,and hence frictional wear between the diaphragm and said free ends of the shield is reduced to a minimum. This result is further contributed to by the fact thatthe contactual engagement of the free ends of the tongues with the diaphragm is equidistantly apportioned over a relatively large area circumferentially, whereas in the patent referred to the bearing of the free ends of the tongues is concentrated in a relatively small central area and is hence more likely to cause deterioration of the diaphragm.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is a central vertical sectional elevation of a regulator provided with my improved diaphragmatic auxiliaryor protective shield; 7

Figs. 2, 3, and 4, are face views of my shield plate showing different methods of slitting the same from the basic central area to the periphery thereof.

While applicable to other forms of pressure regulators I have herein shown my invention as used'in conjunction with a pressure regulator of the type set forth in Let: ters Patent heretofore referred to, in which the diaphragm (Z, preferably corrugated, is held peripherally by and between the edges of a concavo-conoidal base 6, and a cover plate 0, the space below the diaphragm being the pressure chamber and that above the diaphragm being subject to atmospheric pressure through the central opening 0, in the cover 0, through which the stem of the transmitting plunger 7), protrudes,said plunger 7), being formed with a relatively broad, circular base p, which has heretofore rested directly upon the upper side of the diaphragm (Z.

It has been found by experience that the part of the diaphragm subject to greatest strain and wear is that at or adjacent to its contact with the edge of the base of the transmitting plunger 79, the function of which latter is to transmit the motion and pressure of the diaphragm d, to the actuating member a, by which the regulating damper or valve is controlled in a manner well known in the art. One serious danger in so far as the diaphragm is concerned has been that of undue back pressure resulting from careless manipulation of the valve or damper actuating mechanism, particularly the member a. If improper weight or pressure is applied to the latter it is obvious that it will be transmitted by the plunger 32, to the diaphragm, and that the edge of the base of the plunger will represent the line of critical strain,the internal pressure, if any, exerted upon the under side of the dia phragm resisting such undue back pressure, and tending to engender a shearing strain at the basic edge of the plunger 7). v

I protect the diaphragm (Z, against such deleterious localized strain, and distribute the latter evenly over the diaphragm by means of my improved elastic resilient relief plate or shield 8, preferably metallic, which I superpose upon the diaphragm (Z, and between it and the base of the transmitting plunger p, as shown in Fig. 1. This shield plate 8, is preferably of substantially the same size as the operative, flexible area of the diaphragm d, upon which it rests loosely, and to the general contour of the upper face of which it is made to conform when the said diaphragm is at rest or deflated, so as to contact therewith for practically the full area thereof. Hence, as the base 7), of the plunger 79, rests directly upon this shield s, the weight of said plunger, and any back pressure exerted thereby, will be distributed by the shield and imparted to the diaphragm over substantially the whole area of the latter, obviating excess of strain at any particular part thereof. Furthermore the relief or reinforcing shield s, by contacting di rectly with the base 7), of the plunger 7), prevents any abrasive action of the latter against the diaphragm, which may consist of a delicate sheet of relatively thin copper whereas the shield may be made of sheet steel or other relatively hard and tenacious material.

In order to; render my improved diaphragm shield s, sufficiently sensitive and responsive to the flexible fluctuations of the diaphragm (l, I form it with a plurality of slits .9, extending outward radially from a central area 8 to and through the peripheral edge 8 These slitss, may be arranged in straight radial lines as in Figs. 2 and 3, or in curved tangential lines as in Fig. 4, or in any other form or manner that may be preferred in this respect,-the essential feature being the extension of the slits s, from the central area or base 8 to and through the peripheral edge 8 of the disk 8, substantially as shown thereby forming a series of tongues 8*, the free ends of which are peripheral.

This formation of the shield disk 5, with the central basic area a", affords a firm and even support for the broad base 1), of the motion t 'ansmitting plunger 3), which is conducive to the perfect support and alinement thereof, while the free-ended tongues 8*, projecting radially from under said central base 0, yielding under fluctuations of pressure exerted on the under side of the diaphragm, distributing the strain of resistance exerted by the plunger equally to the diaphragm as a whole,the elasticity and resilience of said tongues rendering the disk 8, more sensitive and responsive than if the latter were not so slitted. The free ends of the elastic resilient tongues 3*, being also their broader extremities, distribute the contactual bearing over a maximum of peripheral area in contra-distinction to the contracted centralized grouping of the free ends of the tongues shown in the aforesaid Letters PatentNo. 1,288,389 of December 17, 1918, with the advantage already stated.

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, it will be noted that the slits s, are of two lengths,shorter slits intervening between longer ones next adjacent on either side. By this means a relatively large central basic area may be attained and the number of slits and tongues augmented when desirable with-- out weakening the shield plate, since the con.- centration of the inner ends of the slits is avoided and each tongue is afforded ample connection with said central basic area of the plate.

By the use of my reinforcing shield s, I not only protect the diaphragm against excessive and localized strain and wear in so far as the transmitter plunger 29, is concerned, but I also greatly'increase the effective capacity of the relatively thin and otherwise frail-diaphragm, so that, thus reinforced, it is enabled to withstand an operative pressure, and variations or fluctuations thereof, many times greater than the capacity of the same diaphragm not thus reinforced or protected. As a result I attain greater scope of usefulness and efliciency for. the regulator Without increase of size of parts or thickness of diaphragm, and this at a minimum of additional cost because my diaphragm shield is simple and inexpensive. At the same time my shield While reinforc ing the diaphragm so that it will safely withstand what would, without it, be exces sive and dangerous pressure, detracts little if. any from the sensitiveness of the diaphragm to respond to slight variations in pressure, because the shield, thus constructed, is itself easily flexed, its thickness being such as to afford a maximum of elasticity combined only with sufficient resiliency to enable it to conform to and follow contactually the fiexures of the diaphragm.

It has been demonstrated by practical investigation and test that by the use of reinforcing shields of this character the pressure capacity of the diaphragm may be materially augmented Without loss of sensitiveness and responsiveness to, relatively low degrees of pressure.

The number of centrally convergent slits 8', formed in the reinforcing disks, may be varied to suit requirements, and they are clean cut so that their adjoining edges contact closely, and hence the bearing against the diaphragm is continuous and uniform throughout, thereby preventing injury to the opposed face of the diaphragm and insuring equable distribution of pressure.

This result is attained in a practical commercial sense by my method of peripherally slitting radially from a central basic portion of the shield plate as herein set forth, because the slits may be all formed at one stroke by suitable die mechanism.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a regulator of the character designated,

the combination with a diaphragm of an elastic resilient reinforcing shield independent of, unattached to and interposed between it and the plunger by which the motion of the diaphragm is transmitted to the actuat ing mechanism, said reinforcing shield being formed with a plurality of slits extending from a central solid imperforate basic area outward radially to and through the periphery thereof, said diaphragm and shield being unconfined throughout their areas except at their peripheries, combined With a plunger bearing on said solid imperforate center for the purpose described.

WILLIAM HODG'SON. IVitnesses:

Gno. WM. MIATT, DOROTHY MIATT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

